


Roses and Mysteries

by ThefirstRanger



Category: Nancy Drew (TV 2019)
Genre: 5+1 Things, F/M, Florist AU, Roughly during the Aglaeca arc, flower shop
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-11
Updated: 2021-02-11
Packaged: 2021-03-18 06:08:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,406
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29363775
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThefirstRanger/pseuds/ThefirstRanger
Summary: Five times Nancy meets Ace on the job and one time she doesn't.
Relationships: Ace/Nancy Drew, George Fayne/Ned Nickerson (mentioned), Nancy Drew & Bess Marvin
Comments: 7
Kudos: 75





	Roses and Mysteries

Ace liked working at Lily's Flower Shop most of the time. It was better than working at the library with Dominique (even though his mother had promised him an easy IT job there) and it definitely beat working in a restaurant somewhere where he'd be watched constantly and would have to pretend to take smoke breaks. Ace preferred keeping a low profile so he could investigate situations around town without attention and the slow pace of Lily's made that easy to do. 

It also helped that most of the customers were either desperate boyfriends that Ace both pitied and did not care for or old ladies who would invite him to bingo and try to pinch his cheeks. Neither of those categories were known for their keen observation skills or for being interesting. 

This was all to say that when a pretty redhead about his age came flying into the shop one afternoon, completely ignoring the cheerful welcome bell, Ace paid attention. She thrust a bouquet of flowers onto the counter and stared at Ace, who started to go into his spiel. 

"Hi, welcome to Lily's. I'm Ace; how may I help you today?"

The redhead's mouth starts to curve up and she leans up against the counter. "I'm Nancy. Do you know what these flowers mean?"

Ace nods his head because he's not sure he can force out words right now and the bouquet is gently shoved into his face. Despite his desire to chat with Nancy more, Ace's admittedly small sense of professionalism and training take over and he turns the bouquet around in his hands. 

It's a strange bouquet, full of purples and oranges which aren't the best colors to put together, and once Ace recognizes the flowers, he whistles. Nancy looks at him sharply and he hands her back the bouquet. 

"You've got one heck of a secret admirer." Ace points out each flower in turn. "Aconite, butterfly weed, petunias, rhododendron, and black roses not only look ugly but send an ugly warning sign to stay away or else death."

Rather than looking frightened or even confused, Nancy just nods like this confirmed what she had been thinking. "Impressive work on the meaning." 

"Thank you. I've sent my fair share of subtle, passive-aggressive bouquets over the years, so I'm well-versed in decoding messages though usually they aren't death threats." 

She laughs. "I can believe that. This isn't for a specific person, it's for a case I'm solving."

That's intriguing and Ace shifts a little closer. "A case?"

"It's confidential," she apologizes. "Top secret."

"That's a shame. If you wanted some non-professional help, I could give you the address of our rose supplier. Maybe he knows someone who grows black roses."

"That'd be great."  
\--  
The second time he saw Nancy in the flower shop was just about as equally confusing as the first time. He'd seen on Nancy's fan twitter page a linked article where she had solved some murderer's riddle and felt a current of pride run through him even though the chances of his advice actually being helpful were probably pretty slim. 

That didn't stop Nancy from coming back to the store, conveniently during the slow hour, giving Ace plenty of time to talk to her. Unfortunately, Nancy skipped the small talk and went straight into business. . 

"What flowers would you recommend for your friend who is now with your ex-boyfriend and they are both technically your bosses?"

This had started out like a normal request, but had gotten quickly complicated. Ace did a double take. "Wait, what?"

Nancy waved a hand over his confusion. "It's complicated. Well, it's not for George exactly, she just wants some to freshen up the Claw for the health inspector's visit and by complicated, I mean it's still weird to see them together, but I don't hate them or anything."

"You live a strange life, Nancy Drew."

"And you don't?" She teased. 

As an assistant florist who now apparently regularly helped out a hometown hero on cases, Ace wouldn't say his life was normal, but Nancy didn't know the other half of his life, which was also decidedly not normal. 

"I'd say it's no stranger than anyone else's."

"Uh huh." Nancy clearly didn't believe him 

The bell over the door rang and in walked a brunette, looking distressed. 

"Nancy, George now wants-" Bess stopped as soon as she saw Ace and Nancy together, talking. She raised an eyebrow and her lips started to turn upwards. Hastily, Nancy and Ace took a step backwards from each other, a step that emphasized how unconsciously close they had gotten. 

Some sort of frustration in her eyes, Nancy steeled her face and turned to Ace. "Thank you for your help. We apparently have to go now."

"Good luck with the health inspection." He handed over the bouquet and as he did, their hands brushed for a brief second. Her hand jerked back quickly and she smiled again before heading out the door with Bess. 

As they went out the door, Ace completely missed the unsubtle prod Bess gave Nancy with her elbow.  
\--  
When Ace walked into the police station, Nancy Drew was the last person he expected to see hanging around. Perhaps he shouldn't be surprised; she did mention solving a case the last time she had been around. 

"Nancy?"

She sat up straighter in the hard plastic seat. "Oh, hi Ace. Fancy meeting you here," she says casually, like it's not unusual for her to meet acquaintances (are they friends now?) in the police office while she's getting arrested. 

"What are you doing here?"

"I need you to steal something out of Detective Tamura's office for me."

"Are you being arrested? Is this why I was called here- to bail you out?" His eyes went wide. "You used your one phone call to call me?"

"No," replied Nancy, drawing out the word, "I called to place a lovely flower and muffin order for Chief McGinnis to get when he comes back. The fact that you came with it is just a bonus."

Oh, she was good. Nancy was real good. 

"My dads will have me out one way or another because it's a flimsy charge at best, but I'll be the first person Tamura suspects when he finds out the skull is missing. And I wouldn't ask this normally but I'm on thin ice here so–"

"–that's where I come in." Ace finished her sentence for her. She didn't have to explain any further or try to convince him. He'd do whatever she wanted normally and the chance to stick it to the police department was too nice to pass up. 

A smile appears despite the fact they were both in a police station discussing a crime. "It should be in his desk, not the evidence room." 

Not three minutes later, Ace is walking out of the police station having completed his delivery, with a slightly lumpier jacket than he had when he'd walked in and the increasing respect of Nancy Drew.  
\--  
It's been a slow day in the shop, something that Ace is grateful for. Between all the strange happenings with Nancy and her friends and the fact that he did steal a skull from Tamura's desk a few hours previously. No biggie (it's not like that was the most illegal thing he's done and the police department owes him a few favors anyway) but it would be nice to enjoy the sun streaming through the back windows and take a smoke break. 

The phone rings and even though it's Lily who grabs it, Ace can still hear the voice on the other end ringing out (he might've been listening in on the other line) and he nearly drops the deck of cards he was fiddling with. It's Bess on the phone. Bess who is apparently getting married this afternoon and needs flowers for 150 guests. Right. Ace will eat his hat if that's true. 

As Lily comes into the stockroom, muttering and mentally calculating the costs, she waves at Ace to go to the front room. "There's a young lady in front who needs help. Go, go!" 

There's no way he's going to argue with his boss in this state and Ace has the sneaking suspicion that he knows whoever is in the front right now. His suspicions were proved right when he enters and sees Nancy leaning across the counter, the very picture of innocence. 

"Nancy Drew," he drawled, fighting to keep a smile off his face. "I heard you needed my help?" 

She smirked at him. "I always do. Are you willing to look up an order of white roses, possibly sent around Harbor Day?"

It's very much against the law, but Ace is willing to do that and more if it meant helping Nancy out. 

"One order of white roses coming right up."

He turned the ipad around from where Nancy had it turned and quickly looked up the last few orders of rose wreaths. There was nothing to it, nothing to hide or even really do, but Nancy seemed grateful for the small help. 

"Here you go." Ace swiveled the ipad around to face Nancy and she peered down at the tiny number written on the screen. Her brow furrowed and her jaw subtly tightened. 

Without a word, Nancy pulled out her phone and dialled up the number on the screen. Ace just hoped Bess was really good at improv because if Lily walked in on them, he was definitely going to be fired and his mom wouldn't be happy about that. 

After a few seconds, Nancy hung up without leaving a message, a rueful look on her face. 

"Is everything all right?" asked Ace tentatively. He hadn't seen Nancy shaken like this before. 

"My dad ordered the flowers." The flat tone of Nancy's voice cloaks the revelation and it takes Ace a second to react and even then he's not sure why this is bad. 

"Oh."

"Oh indeed. As much as I hate to part, I really do need to figure this out." She gives him an apologetic smile while stuffing her phone in a coat pocket. She really does look sorry.

Ace believes her. "Come back any time."  
\--  
The final time Nancy came into the shop, she looked like a burden had been lifted from her shoulders, though there was still a sense of heaviness in her steps. 

"I need a bouquet." This wasn't a strange request, but something about today felt different somehow. 

"Any special meaning or occasion? I arrange a good bar mitzvah bouquet or a subtle arrangement to tell people they're jerks." Mentally, Ace started to arrange some flowers for Detective Tamura because he figured that was the most likely candidate for a passive-aggressive bouquet, especially after the horrible Shabbat dinner. Maybe some buttercups...

"It's for my mother's grave."

Oh no. Oh no. 

"I didn't know-"

Well, he had known, at least in the back of his mind, because Mrs. Drew's death had been a bit of a big deal in Horseshoe Bay. It had been only a few years since Ace attended Horseshoe Bay High, but he remembered the kind guidance counselor.

She interrupted his half-formed apology. "It's okay, Ace. Don't think twice about it. Do you have any individual flowers? Maybe a white rose to go with a bouquet?"

"Of course." 

Ace lingers by the door, reluctant to leave Nancy even for a minute. It seems wrong to, but he knows that whatever she's using the flowers for will be cathartic and it's not like Ace can deny her a request (he broke into an officer's desk a mere two days ago.)

He brings her a light purple bouquet to symbolize grief but also love and the white rose she asked for. Their hands brush as they exchange the money and the flowers, making Ace swear a bolt of lighting went into his veins. Still, he doesn't say anything else other than "I hope it goes well."

"Me too."

Nancy stuffs a generous tip in the jar, essentially doubling his earnings for the day. "For excellent service."  
\---  
After everything with the Aglaeca, it was almost reassuring to work a completely normal shift at the Claw. Waitressing with Bess, trading jokes with Nick and George, Nancy could almost pretend everything was back to normal. 

She was in the backroom taking stock, mostly clearing out the extraneous things Bess had bought on impulse (who else drank peppermint coffee except for her dad?) when George yelled through the window. 

"Nancy, there's someone in front waiting for you!"

There wasn't anyone Nancy was expecting; she did have a tentative dinner with Ryan Hudson tonight, but not at the Claw and not this early. As she made her way to the front counter, Bess was beaming at her with barely contained glee and George actually winked at her. 

Leaning across the counter, she smiled at Ace. "This is unexpected."

"Really? I broke the florist-client confidentiality for you, that's not something I do for everyone."

Nancy laughed. "Isn't it?"

"Only for the brilliant detectives who stop by." 

He gestured to the small restaurant around him. "I figured you kept coming to my place of work, I should return the favor. Speaking of," he reached under the counter and pulled out a huge bouquet. "This bouquet doesn't have a death threat embedded in the meaning."

The arrangement did not, as promised, have a death threat. It consisted of daisies, pink roses, and a scattering of baby breath thrown in for good measure. The pink of the roses almost matched the pink dusting Nancy's cheeks. 

One of the few unshattered vases miraculously appeared on the opposite end of the counter and Ace caught it in time to prevent it from sliding off, putting the bouquet in as he did so. Somewhere in the backroom, Nancy just knew George, Bess, and Nick were having a field day. She vanishes this thought and focuses on the cute guy in front of her. 

"My shift ends in an hour."

Ace smiles a bit, like he was expecting her to say that. "I can wait. What would you recommend on the menu?" 

Before Nancy could recommend the clam chowder, George yelled out again. "Just leave now, you lovebirds! We all know you're not getting any work done the rest of the day."

Nancy shifted her, letting her smile fully engulf her face. "I can't argue with that."

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you enjoyed it! Come find me on tumblr as thelaststranger


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